Without You
by PsiGen
Summary: Rose is dead, murdered by a warlord whilst defending some innocent children, leaving the Doctor shattered and alone. When the White Guardian shows him another way a way to save Rose, and stop an even greater evil being committed, its up to the Doctor to
1. Chapter 1

**Not the End?**

* * *

_Rose is dead, murdered by a warlord whilst defending some innocent children, leaving the Doctor shattered and alone. When the White Guardian shows him another way - a way to save Rose, and stop an even greater evil being committed, its up to the Doctor to act once again. But to win he's going to need all his brains, wit and friends. Together, even with good on their side... can he come up trumps one more time? Save the girl, stop the bad guy and protect the Universe all in one adventure? Can even the Doctor manage this one?_

_Dedicated to Hobbit who is RPGing this plotline with me and plays the BEST Jack Harkness I have ever seen. This one's for you Hobbit!_

* * *

He fixes the wonky chair just for something to do. It doesn't matter, it wasnt like there was anyone to sit in it anymore. His mind flicked back to happier memory, and for a brief second he saw her, a blonde haired girl would bounce into his console room like she owned the place, plonk herself in the chair and twirl it around to irritate him. He'd always pretend her behaviour was beneath him of course, but secretly it was one of the many many things he'd loved about his favourite ape. His Rose.

It stood empty, alone - and in a sudden fit of rage, he smashed it against the far wall of the room. As quick as it had come, the anger was gone and he sighed - his head drooping.

He hadn't been surprised when, two weeks after her death, Jack had announced he was leaving as well. He didn't try and stop the ex Time Agent, hadn't bothered to respond to the text messages Jack still sent him occassionally. All he wanted to do was curl up in a corner of the Universe and join her in death. Was this love, then? A Human emotion, one which he as a Time Lord should never be able to have? He didnt know. All he knew was it hurt. It hurt alot.

**_Its not supposed to be like this_**

His head whipped up and he saw the White Guardian before him. His mouth set into a grim line. "And what would you know about it! Why do you care?" He shouted, the anger and pain back again.

**_She was murdered by forces unseen, before her time. You can save her, and you must Time Lord. For she will carry on when you cannot._ **

Insisted the White Guardian with a small smile.

"What? Who killed her! Why!" He demanded, some of the old Doctorness rushing back.

**_That I cannot say. But save her you can. It is up to you, Time Lord. Make the leap... as she once did._ **

That was it. The Guardian vanished as quickly as it had arrived.

Galvanised into action, The Doctor flicked switches and for the first time hope stirred inside him. He was going to go back! He was gonna save his Rose!

But first he needed to pick up someone else, along the way to help. The TARDIS landed, and the Doctor stepped outside into the glaring sunlight. Striding over to where the near isolated mechanics works stood, he put a hand up against the intense sunlight breaking into a huge smile. "Hello Jack."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

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_Again, dedicated to Hobbit, I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. Stay tuned for the cliffhanger of the century in Chapter 4!  
In the meantime, I dont own Doctor Who, I just pluck him outta Time and Space and play with him for a while. I always put him back though!_

* * *

Jack Harkness, former Time Agent and as far as he was concerned, former friend of the Doctor's looked up and scowled.  
"Whatever you're selling, I'm not buying, Doctor." He bit out, returning his attention to the engine he was dismantling for parts.  
"Jack... Jack I need your help." Said the Doctor, cutting to the chase immediately.  
No beating around the bush, too much time had been lost already.  
He looked at Jack, who looked a ghost of his former self. Losing Rose had been hard on the young man, almost as hard as it had been on the Doctor - and Jack hadnt understood why the Doctor couldnt go back and save her before. No - why he WOULDN'T go back.  
The two men had parted company after a bitter argument, in which Jack had sworn he would NEVER speak or travel with the Time Lord again.  
And now here he was, asking him to do both.  
"Not interested Doctor." Repeated Jack.  
The Doctor's next statement however, reversed that non interest.  
"It's about Rose."

Twenty minutes later they were sitting in Jack's grimy quarters.  
"What about Rose?" Demanded Jack, down to business.  
"I've had a visitor. Someone with authority on these things. Rose didn't just die, Jack. She was murdered." The Time Lord picked up an object of interest, put it down again.  
"Murdered? Who by?"

"I don't know. But I do know it was done to prevent a future action on Rose's part whilst she travels with me. And if she wasn't meant to die then that means I can go back, Jack. I'm going back to save Rose." He said simply, and the determination and fire in his eyes made Jack step back momentarily.

"I was just wondering, if you'd like to come along." He added, almost casually - although alot depended on the answer. And some of it was personal.

"Are you kidding? Save Rose! Of course, but this won't change things between us Doctor. You're doing what you should've done in the first place, and the fact you wouldn't before doesn't change a thing. We save Rose, we still part company." Asserted Jack.  
The Doctor sighed and shrugged.  
"As you wish, Jack." He stood.  
"Shall we go then." He asked, shifting from foot to foot and not staying completely still.

It was then that Jack took another closer look at the Time Lord, noticed the gauntness in the face and the circles around the eyes.  
Not that he cared, anymore... that part of his life was over, gone.  
"When was the last time you slept?" He demanded suddenly.  
The absurd question halted the Doctor in his tracks, as if he was trying to remember but couldnt.  
"Doesn't matter." He concluded and continued on his way out of the room.  
Five seconds later he remembered who he was talking to.  
Ten seconds later he was unconscious on Jack's living quarters floor.  
"It matters." Said Jack.


	3. Chapter 3

**Interlude et la Jack**

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_Thanks SO much to everyone who reviewed. Apologies for the time it took to write this piece... its a bit short but the next chapter will go up much quicker as the action progresses... hopefully you'll like how I've portrayed Jack and the Doctor..._

* * *

When he opened his eyes again it was dark outside, and Jack's shadowy form stood framed against the one window that existed in the entire place.  
He'd been laid on the sofa, covered by a light moth eaten blanket and he was as mad as hell.  
"You're awake" Noted Jack, coming over.  
"So it would appear. Did you - "  
"Yes. How long has it been for you - a month, a year... a decade?" Wondered Jack.  
The Doctor looked evasive.  
"You lose track" He grated out.  
Jack shook his head.  
"Not you. Not when you're grieving. You spend every minute of every day counting off the seconds and remembering." He countered, his voice hollow and empty.  
"Right barrel of laugh you've turned into." Commented the Doctor.  
"What did you expect Doctor? I lost my best friend. You lost something more." Said Jack softly.  
"Well now we can go and get her back." Said the Doctor.  
"Unless you want to spend ALL your time on your back. Although as I remember... you never seemed to mind that suggestion." The Doctor flirted trying to engage the old Jack - his Jack, that he wanted back so desperately, every bit as much as he wanted Rose.

"Different Jack Harkness. Breakfast!" Decided Jack going towards the sparse kitchen.  
"You still take your eggs over even?" He called back over his shoulder.  
"Jack, we dont have time. I just told you we can go back and save Rose, and you want **BREAKFAST**!" Shouted the Doctor, anger and pain flaring up.  
In a second, Jack was back in the room - face to face with the Time Lord, searching his eyes.  
"See... thats what I expected from you. Anger, pain, hurt! But you just ... you just gave up. Rose would NEVER give up if it had been you. You know that... but you shattered any good memories by giving up. Now, we're gonna have that breakfast and discuss what needs to be done, and maybe some other stuff as well I dont know. Then, and ONLY then, are we gonna get Rose. THAT's the plan, Doctor!" Shouted Jack.

The Doctor was staring, shocked into silence at the outburst... and how spot on Jack had been in his assessment of the Time Lord. But how could he have explained? How could he tell Jack, how much he loved her and how nothing was worth anything anymore without her. That in order to save the Universe, she had to be there to save him? How could he put that feeling into mere words. He couldn't, he hadn't. He'd just let Jack walk out.  
And now, now the man had the gall to call HIM out on feelings and betrayal?  
It would've been laughable, if it hadnt been so tragic.  
"Breakfast it is." He said, backing down for once.  
"Good." Said Jack, wonderingly.  
"Good."


	4. Chapter 4

**The Monster Inside You**

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_Okie - this is it people, read and review, blast me if you will - I don't own Doctor Who and neither do you!_

* * *

Breakfast came and went with the Doctor proving tight lipped about everything except the problem of saving Rose from imminent death. As he watched the Time Lord from across the table, at the way his conversation became animated with the mention of her name, of the emotion in his eye - the spark that erupted there, Jack came to realise something rather important.  
"You love her!" He blurted out.  
The Doctor stopped still, mid sentance, surprised at the outburst - wary of its implications.  
"Jack, she's a friend and I care about her..." He started - the shutters coming down again.  
Jack shook his head vehmently.  
"No, its something way more than that. You love her, and you've never told her." He said, staring the Doctor in the eye.  
The Time Lord looked away, breaking eye contact first in what Jack reckoned must've been the first EVER instance since he'd met the Doctor.

"It's alright. I won't tell. That's for you to do." He said more gently and rose to clear the dishes.  
"Now. Lets go get our girl." He grinned, a real Jack Harkeness grin - the supernova smile that could charm the pants off even the most cynical.  
It was matched only by the Doctor's own brilliant grin.  
The pair headed into the TARDIS.

Once the TARDIS was in motion, the two men hunched over the console screen discussing the game plan.

"We know Rose becomes seperated from us at this point." The Doctor indicated the camera footage, which he'd acquired when they'd first lost Rose.  
"Right, but she's still in plain sight of us. I mean all we had to do was look back and we'd have seen her." Pointed out Jack, reasonably.  
"Yeah. But we didnt. Which is a first." The Doctor frowned.  
"Jack where are you on this?" He asked suddenly.  
"Oh come on, Doc - I was right in front of exit 3, guiding out the civilians from the front, whilst Rose brought up the rear... no wait.." He squinted at the footage.  
"The camera footage sweeps the entire exit Jack. You're not there." Said the Doctor quietly.  
"So where were you?" He asked.

"I.. I was there... I was standing... wait you're not in position either from that camera angle!" Jack exchanged worried glances with the Doctor who sucked in his breath - eyes narrowing with concentration.  
An idea sprang to mind, and he stabbed at a few controls, tuning and focusing the tape.  
As if by magic they reappeared on the footage, both of them where they had been.  
"Why didnt that happen the first time round"  
"Probably did. We were too busy looking at what Rose was doing, and where Rose was - we never looked at the obvious"  
"But what can cause that kind of effect? What did you do to the controls to get us back on the footage?" Wondered Jack starting to pace up and down impatiently.  
"Temporal adjustment. We're there the whole time, so it Rose. But Rose is also inside what are commonly referenced as 'pockets' in time. Where you can see someone - " "and they can see you, but to them you're speeded up or slowed down and to you they are. I was a Time Agent, Doctor." Scowled Jack.  
"So question one: what's Rose doing in a time pocket?" Posed the Doctor.  
"Does it matter?" Asked Jack.  
"Could do. We could go barging in only to be slowed down or not able to interface directly with the time pocket and still lose her. We need to determine the source... wait a second. Since when could you split into two Jack?" The Doctor looked bemused, an expression which would have been amusing in other circumstances, but Jack could see he was deadly serious.

"I can't to the best of my knowledge. Why?" He came back to the Doctor's side.  
The Doctor jabbed the screen.  
"Then how can you be here... and here beside Rose at the same time?"

Jack looked at the Doctor in complete and utter shock, and then the screen - willing it to change, to be untrue. But the picture on the screen didnt change and neither did the Doctor's expression.  
Jack pointed at the screen with a shaking finger.

"I swear, thats not me." He said.  
For a minute he thought the Time Lord might go ballistic on him, but the moment passed and the Doctor's expression turned thoughtful again.  
"How do you know - you're missing two years of your life Jack. Would you know if you killed Rose Tyler during those two years? Would you remember?" He asked, taking a step towards the younger man.  
Jack shook with rage and raised a hand to strike the Time Lord for daring to say it, but inside, inside his stomach was churning - what if he had?

What if he had killed Rose Tyler, his best friend?  
What if he was the monster this time?

"I wouldn't, I couldn't! Doctor - I would never hurt Rose.." Pleading eyes met the unfaltering ancient gaze.  
"Would I?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Reunion**

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_What? You thought I'd leave you hanging? Moi? Nahh, not me! Besides a very good reviewer pointed out that my chapters are a tad short - but I HAD to leave that cliffhanger. Im not as bad as Cassandra, though promise! You know what to do people if you want the explanation for everything and to find out who the REAL villan is._

* * *

Jack had fallen to the TARDIS floor, shocked the implications, but unable to tear his eyes from the Time Lord's intense stare.  
The Doctor held the contact, as if searching deep behind Jack's eyes. Finally he held out a hand to the Time Agent, helping him up. 

"Then lets find out what really happened." He said, as the TARDIS materialised.

Jack nodded, still visibly shaken but as the Doctor turned to exit the timeship he grabbed his arm.

"If it turns out that I did have something to do with this... you do what you have to, Doctor. You get me. Whatever it takes - you save Rose. Even... even if its from me." He said, a lump lodged in his throat.  
The Doctor looked saddened for a moment, but nodded eventually, watching as Jack exited ahead of him.

Straight into a battle zone.  
"Doctor what have you done!" Yelled Jack over the noise and smoke.  
The Doctor joined him outside.  
"Had to minimize the risk as much as possible. Remember we're at exit 4 and Im at the front dealing with the bomb. Rose is towards the back - now Im gonna get Rose, and I need you to watch out for your doppleganger but don't let him see you!" Shouted the Doctor.  
"Why"  
"Because ... Because if it IS you then you can't meet. You'll cause a rip in Space/Time!" Came the answer.  
"Okay! Point taken!" Shouted back Jack.  
The Doctor was soon engulfed in the smoke and fire - heading towards the back, towards the pocket of time where Rose was about to meet Death for the first, and last time.

Rose Tyler had never been more scared in her life, but she knew it had to be this way. Knew that she would do the right thing, the only thing that had to be done. She had to die, so that the Universe could have it's Champion. She looked back at Jack, who smiled sadly, encouraging her onwards. That felt strange, but she guessed seeing what he had described to her - it was the best of two evils really. And one insignificant human life was nothing compared to that of the last of the Time Lords, so she turned back and forged ahead - heading for the child at the back. At least she could do some good on her way out. Save a life. Even if she couldnt save herself.

She was almost there, she could see the Warlord's chief warrior catching hold of one of the straggling children - a little girl.  
"Hey! LET HER GO!" She screamed at him, and for a second he froze as if in disbelief that a woman - no a_ girl_ - would dare issue a command to _him_!

"I said LET HER -"

"GO!" Another voice finished the sentance and a leather clad arm slashed down in front of Rose, grabbing the warrior's arm and sending him flying with a well practiced move.  
"Rose get back!" He yelled.  
"No, you can't." She screamed. "You can't die! I won't let you die this time!" She cried, tears stinging her eyes. He was her Doctor, her knight in shining armour, her best friend... and according to Jack the last hope for a dying Universe. Wait - Jack! She spun around but he was no longer standing behind her, no longer encouraging her onwards - he was gone?  
Confused she tried to figure it out but before she could even begin, she was engulfed into a massive bear hug, crushed so tightly to his chest that she had to struggle to breathe.  
"Rose!" He cried. "ROSE!" And in the middle of what was best described as a war zone, the Doctor swung her around in pure unadulterated joy.  
He was complete. Finally complete again.  
He had his Rose.

For that moment the Doctor didn't care about the Universe, the bigger picture, Jack, the TARDIS, the Time Lords - nothing mattered more to him then holding his precious Rose in his arms again.


	6. Chapter 6

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**Conference**

_Interim Chapter - Very short - Next one to follow REALLY soon.  
This is a sorta fill in the blank - Rose's Version Chapter to follow later tonight! Promise!  
Thank you SO much for all your reviews... they keep the chapters coming!_

* * *

For a second his universe consisted of nothing except the blonde nineteen year old girl in his arms, and his elation at having her alive. Of having saved her, despite the odds and the Universe this time.  
Rose clung back, holding on for dear life, without really knowing why until finally, the enormity of the situation struck home.  
She'd failed.  
One little thing, a simple sacrifice and she couldn't even get that right. Her memory slipped back to when her father had uttered that same simple sentance.  
_'Couldn't even get that right.'_

She pushed him away then, tears springing into her eyes.  
"What did you do that for, you stupid, stupid Time Lord!" She yelled He stared back, dumstruck by the force of her words, her apparent anger - unable to believe what he was hearing.  
"I had to save you.." He murmured, brokenly.  
If she noticed his apparent hurt she gave no sign, continuing with her tirade.  
"But you've ruined EVERYTHING! You're gonna die, and the Universe..." Her hand went to her mouth, as if she hadn't meant to let that out, the tears coming think and fast and trembling despite the intense heat of the deck.

One little lost girl, in the big wide Universe - she'd kidded herself, thinking she was strong, independent, like him, but now she knew the truth behind the fiction.  
She was Rose Tyler, Screwup of the Universe.

The Doctor was speaking again, and she lifted her head to listen half heartedly.  
"Rose, whatever you think you know - it isn't true. You've been tricked." He explained, blue eyes pleading with her to understand, to believe.

"What? How can you know anything about it..." She started, confused. The Doctor turned away, ashamed, but said nothing.  
"Cos this is the second time round for us." A third voice, and a third person stepped forward having stayed quiet so far.  
Jack Harkness looked troubled and happy at the same time, if such a thing were possible, but he was too young thought Rose. He must be ...

"Aren't you gonna say hi, Rosie?" He asked her gently.  
"But... but you, it wasn't you - was it... but it was.." Her brow creased as she tried to sort out the jumble of Time Lines and Paradoxes in her head.  
It proved too much, and she sank to the deck - trembling still.  
"What... what's going on?" She pleaded, eyes large and dark.  
"Someone please! Tell me whats happening to me!" She screamed out then, the shock and the hurt and everything else just spilling out. She began to sob, rocking forwards and backwards on her heels.

In two strides he was beside her, holding her like he had when she had mourned her father, pulling her close and this time, this time she didn't pull away.

The Doctor looked up, his steel blue gaze connecting with Jack's concerned and guilty one.  
"Conference."

The conference was held on board the TARDIS, so that Rose could have some hot tea whilst stories were swapped.  
The Doctor let Jack go first, explaining how Rose had been killed the first time round, and how he had left, right up to the point where the Time Lord had turned up on his doorstep.  
He omitted the passing out, for which the Doctor was extremely thankful for.  
Then came the Doctor's version, he explained how the White Guardian had come knocking, explaining about the setup. He took great pleasure in reciting just how important Rose was in the future, and how totally fantastic that was.  
Rose simply nodded though, not quite believing the emphasis, still feeling like she'd screwed up somehow.  
Then it was Rose's turn.

"I don't know where to start really." She admitted, casting her eyes downwards.  
"How about from the moment we arrived on the station?" Suggested the Doctor calmly.  
"Ok..."


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far!_**

* * *

Rose's Story**

Safe in the TARDIS, Rose Tyler sipped her tea, and began her story.

"Well, we'd landed, and you'd just finished telling us not to wander off..."

* * *

..."Don't wander off Rose. We don't know what's here yet." Called the Doctor, his jacket flapping about him, making him seem even more like the proverbial mother hen. She rolled her eyes, but nodded and continued her exploration - keeping Jack and the Doctor in line of sight. For someone who claimed to enjoy the thrill of adventure, the Doctor could sometimes be a bit overcautious Rose thought.  
'Here' was a station or platform or something in the middle of the farther outer regions of the known Universe, and they'd come to follow up a situation they'd encountered, in which they'd rescued a small colony of people about to be enslaved by the Warlord Titus.  
Not content with saving the day, the Time Lord had immediately decided that they had to trace the Warlord and put a stop to his slave trafficking altogether. So 'here' they were. Here. 

She sighed. It didn't look like there was anybody else here - in fact it looked like the place had been deserted long ago. She idly picked up a piece of blackened metal - the Doctor and Jack's voices droning out. She frowned as she turned it over in her hands, discovering symbols engraved in the metal. She was just about to call out to the Doctor to see if he could tell her what they meant when she saw a pair of eyes staring back at her!  
Startled she jumped but the eyes were swiftly followed by a face, an all too familiar face at that. Rose scowled.  
"Captain Harkness it's rude to jump out on people!" She hissed, eyes flashing. Then something else registered and she took a step backwards. If Jack was standing in front of her... then who could she hear talking with the Doctor behind her? She whirled, there was Jack talking calmly about a space battle he'd once been in, hands waving energetically about him and the Doctor looking slightly bored. But... but he was also standing in front of her, a few feet away plain as day.  
"Who are you!" She demanded.  
The Other Jack seemed more amused then concerned at her reaction.  
"That's our Rose." Then he looked sad, almost like he was about to break down in tears or something.  
"What is it? What's wrong?" Instinctively she reached out for him, to hold him - because some instinct was telling her that this WAS Jack, her Jack and that something was terribly terribly wrong.  
"What is it.. Jack?" She asked again, softly.  
He raised his head.  
"Oh Rosie." He caught sight of himself then, over her shoulder - still trying to convince the Doctor that he'd really been where he was saying he'd been.  
"Those were the days alright. We thought he was indestructable." He said softly with a sigh.  
"Stop speaking in riddles, Jack. You know I don't like that." She said, irritated.  
"Okay, Rose - I need to talk to you - but first I have to have your promise that you won't tell the Doctor or the other me." He asked her, taking her hands in his.  
"Do you promise?"

"Jack... whatever it is, whatever has happened the Doctor can fix it. He wouldnt let anything bad happen to us - not unless it was over his dead body." She grinned, quoting the Time Lord from another adventure.  
Jack's look spoke volumes then and she glanced back at the Time Lord who was now laughing at Jack's gestures.  
"No..." She dragged her gaze away and turned back to the Jack in front of her.  
"Tell me everything. Now." She demanded and grabbing his arm, pulled him out of sight.

Rose couldnt believe what she had just heard.  
"So the Doctor dies in a few hours, and isnt there to save the Universe when the Daleks turn up? But the Daleks are gone - they died in the Time War, Jack." She persisted.  
Jack shook his head.  
"They're out there Rose. They DO come back, only this time The Doctor isnt there to save the day. Because he dies here - and he's not supposed to. Rose... he dies saving you." Revealed Jack.  
Rose was utterly speechless.

* * *

... "My god, you must have been horrified." Butted in Jack, reaching out to take Rose's free hand. She nodded, still unable to meet the Doctor's gaze.  
"Go on.." He urged her, although a part of him was curling up and dying inside him.  
"Then what happened..." 

..."Well I didn't know WHAT to think. But Jack knew exactly what to say to convince me.."

* * *

"So he saves my life and then gets himself killed? But how's that happen - where are you? What happened to you covering his back eh, Captain?" She demanded, anger taking over for a minute.  
"I tried. God Rose, I tried. I tried to get to him - but it was just ... there wasn't time to save him. He died in your arms..." Jack turned away, seemingly gutted by the memory.  
"Okay so how can we stop all this happening again? Wait a minute, how'd you make it here? The Doctor's the only one who can fly the TARDIS." She was suspicious again.  
"Called in a favour at the Time Agency. One shot wonder." He explained bitterly.  
"Okay, say I buy it. What can we do." She asked.  
"He listens to you. Make sure he stays with me, you take the lead. But Rose you have to understand, that if you do this - you wont make it. You'll die instead of him." Said Jack, earnestly.

* * *

"And at this point you didnt twig, or at least think that you should maybe run this past the Time Lord, who actually has EXPERIENCE with this type of paradox thing. Who knows about the timelines?" Interjected the Doctor, softly. There was no accusation in his tone, just a slight pleading.  
Rose didnt answer that question and after a few seconds, simply continued her story. 

"Then he started going on about what the Daleks were doing, about the people dying..." She said, her voice getting quieter.

* * *

"Rose Lord knows I don't want to lose you. But the Universe needs the Doctor. You havent seen the suffering I've seen, the people enslaved, the children being exterminated.." His face was as grave as his tone and sent a wave of shivers down Rose's spine. Shivers of responsibility.  
"The Universe needs its Doctor." She realised, speaking the words aloud. Unable to look at her, Jack hung his head and just nodded.  
Rose summed up all the courage she had inside, all the determination she'd added to since travelling with her Doctor and squared a shoulder.  
"Then theres only one thing left to do, isnt there Jack, we both know that. Just promise me... promise me one thing?" She asked him.  
"What? Anything for you Rose." He answered, voice cracking.  
"Look after him for me." And then they hugged for the longest times.  
When they parted eventually, she had a shining unshead tear in her eye, but she turned around and marched stiffly away from him.  
She knew what had to be done, after all. His part in this was finished.  
Hers would be over soon enough 


End file.
